Ring binder

ABSTRACT

A book structure that has two loose-leaf binders with outwardly folding end covers. Inwardly directed covers for the two looseleaf binders are joined together and overlap in a mutually sliding relation. Sleeves that engage the edges of the overlapping covers, as well as a stop on one of the covers, enables the central portion of the book structure to form a stable, rigid and generally flat surface when fully extended.

United States Patent Cimini Sept. 24, 1974 [54] RING BINDER FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor; Pete! Cimini, 120 Northwood 551,591 101956 Belgium 281 16 Newington, Cenn- 06111 783,401 4/1968 Canada 694,7778/1940 German [22] 1972 320,349 5/1957 Switzerliind 281/16 21 Appl. No.2283,935

Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall 52 US. Cl. 281/16, 281/3 R, 281/29,Ammey Age, Sim),

402/80 R [51] Int. Cl B42d 3/00 ABSTRACT Field of Search 281/16, 3 R 17;402/80 R A book structure that has two loose-leaf binders with outwardlyfolding end covers. Inwardly directed cov- References Clted ers for thetwo loose-leaf binders are joined together UNITED STATES PATENTS andoverlap in a mutually sliding relation Sleeves that 415,798 11 1889Skinner 281 16 engage the edges of the Overlapping Covers, as as 464,41712/1891 Bevin 281/16 x a p o one o the o a e the central P 1,12l,l9712/1914 McMillan.... 281/16 X tion of the book structure to form astable, rigid and 1,167,618 l/l916 Beard 1 281/16 generally flat surfacewhen fully extended. 2,333,523 11/1943 Lohun 281/16 2,716,985 9/1955Wolf 281 16 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures RING BINDER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to structuresfor books and, more particularly, to a pair of loose-leaf binders thathave overlapping covers for sliding movement to form an extended, rigidsurface, and the like.

2. Prior Art Books that have several folded covers which can be openedinto an extended surface have been developed for a number of purposes.Frequently, these books comprise an array of relatively stiff surfaces.Laces, or the like, at edges that are common to adjacent pairs of thesestiff surfaces join the entire structure together. This construction,however, fails to satisfy the need for a rigid, relatively uncollapsiblestructure that can be borne on the knees of the user and sustain normalpencil pressures without folding up.

For example, scouting sporting events, and the like, requires a bookstructure that can be conveniently carried in a compact unit. The bookstructure, however, should open into a relatively rigid surface thatdisplays an array of one or more readily identified pages which willenable game plays and the like to be recorded swiftly. The bookstructure also should remain open and sustain forces imposed by thenormal movement and jostling that usually is encountered in a stadium orin crowded areas. Clearly, the flexibly joined, multiplecover bookstructures that characterize the prior art fail to provide thisnecessary rigidity. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a relativelyrigid, albeit selectively collapsible book structure.

SUMMARY These and other problems that have characterized the prior artare, to a large extent, overcome through the principles of theinvention. For example, a typical book structure that embodiesprinciples of the invention has a pair of loose-leaf binders that areparallel to and spaced from each other. Inwardly directed covers extendfrom respective binders to which they are joined, toward the oppositeloose-leaf binder. These inwardly directed covers, moreover, overlap insliding relation. The mutually sliding edges of these covers are engagedin sleeves. These sleeves act as guides for the selectively slidingcovers and also serve to hold the covers in the overlapping relation.

A movable stop has a flat base portion and a stop portion that protrudesperpendicularly from the base. The base portion is buried in the pliesof the uppermost of the overlapping covers and the stop portionprotrudes through a slot that is cut into the surface of that cover in adirection perpendicular to the parallel ring binders. The stop can bemoved back-and-forth in the slot with the application to the protrudingstop portion of a moderate amount of finger-pressure. An edge of thestop portion engages the edge of the lowermost of the two inwardlydirected covers and thus braces these two covers against each other whenthe book structure is fully extended.

A further feature of the invention provides for a dummy cover that isattached to the ring binder which is joined to the lowermost cover. Thisdummy cover matches the thickness of the uppermost of the two inwardlydirected covers. Thus, the dummy cover establishes a relatively smooth,flat writing surface across the expanse of both of the inwardly directedcovers when the book structure is fully extended.

A clip is also secured to one or both of the sleeves in order to engagethe papers on the extended writing surface that is provided by the bookstructure. These clips present an additional means for establishing astable writing surface, retaining an extra piece of paper or the like onthe extended surface, and for preventing the pages on that surface frombeing readily torn away from the binder rings because of movement in acrowd, wind or other environment-related conditions.

Thus there is provided in accordance with the invention an improved bookstructure. For a more detailed understanding of the invention, attentionis invited to the accompanying drawing and the following description. Itwill be apparent that the invention is subject to many modifications.Consequently, the representative embodiments illustrated herein are notbe held to limit the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevation of atypical book structure in the fully extended condition that embodiesprinciples of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the book structure that is shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the top edge of the book structure that isshown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the top edge of the book structure in theretracted condition to further illustrate principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For a more completeappreciation of the invention, FIG. 1 shows a typical book structure inaccordance with the principles of the invention. Thus a pair of paralleldisposed ring binders 10 and 11 are spaced from each other by inwardlydisposed covers 12 and 13.

Preferably, the covers 12 and 13 are formed of stiff, multiple-plycarboard which is encased in vinyl or some other suitable material. Thecovers 12 and 13 are of about equal width and are arranged in anoverlapping relation, the cover 12 being uppermost and the cover 13being lowermost, as viewed in FIG. 1.

The covers 12 and 13 each terminate in respective edges 14 and 15 thatare parallel to the longitudinal dimensions of the ring binders 10 and11. These edges overlap slightly when the book structure is fullyextended as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Sleeves l6 and 17 of spring steel, or some other suitable material,engage the overlapping edges of the covers 12 and 13 that areperpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the ring binders l0 and11. These sleeves 16 and 17 press the edges of the two overlappingcovers 12 and 13 together in order to prevent the covers fromseparating. Further, the sleeves 16 and 17 apply enough pressure to thecovers to generate friction forces of sufficient magnitude to preventthese covers from sliding relative to each other. These friction forces,however, will not prevent manual pressures applied to the ring binders10 and 11 from selectively extending or collapsing the book structure atwill.

A spring clip 20 is secured to the sleeve 16 in order to engage extrapapers (not shown) against uppermost surface 21 of the cover 12.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a dummy cover 22is mounted on ring binder 11 and bears against the lowermost inwardlydirected cover 13. The dummy cover 22 has a thickness that is aboutequal to the thickness of the cover 12. Accordingly, uppermost surface23 of the dummy cover 22 is essentially in the same plane as the surface21, thereby establishing a generally continuous writing surface that isalmost two cover widths in breadth.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a stop 24 formed of metal or hard plastic, forexample, slides in a slot 25 that is cut into lowermost surface 26 ofcover 12. The stop 24 has a protruding stop member 27 (FIGS. 3 and 4)that abuts the edge of the cover 13 in order to further impede themovement of the cover 13 toward the ring binder when the book structureis in either full or partly extended position. As shown in broken linesin FIG. 2, the stop 24 has a base portion 30 that is received in a trackor path 31 formed within the plies of the cover 12. The base portions30, moreover, is disposed perpendicularly to the stop member 27. Thestop 24 is so received within the plies of the cover 12, moreover, thatit moves, or slides along the length of the slot 25 in response to amoderate amount of thumbpressure. If a force is applied to move thecover 13 toward the ring binder 10 that is less than the sum of thefrictional forces applied to the covers 12 and 13 through the sleeves l6and 17 and a force that is equal in magnitude ,to the thumb-pressureforce that is required to move the stop 24, the covers 12 and 13 willnot move relative to each other.

The illustrative book structure is completed with two outwardly disposedcovers 32 and 33 that are flexibly connected to the respective ringbinders 10 and 11, which also may be selectively braced. A fastener 34is attached to the edges of the covers 32 and 33 in order to lock theentire book structure into a closed, compact unit when it is beingcarried or not otherwise in use.

In operation, the stop 24 is pressed against the edge of the cover 13 inorder to retain the book structure in an extended position. When fullyextended, the dummy cover 22 is placed against the cover 13 in therecess that is formed by the overlapping engagement of the uppermostcover 12 and the lowermost cover 13. Papers (not shown) are rest on theflat area established by the uppermost surfaces 21 and 23 with the aidof the ring binders 10 and 11 and the spring clip 20.

When the book structure is to be collapsed, the papers (not shown) onthe flat area are removed, enclosed within the book, or folded, and thelike. The stop 24 is pressed away from the edge 15 of the cover 13 andis moved toward the ring binder 10. The book covers 12 and 13 then arepressed into a fully overlapping relation as shown in FIG. 4. Duringthis relative movement of the covers 12 and 13, the dummy cover 22either rides up and over the uppermost surface 21 of the cover 12 or isflipped into engagement with the outwardly directed cover 33.

The covers 32 and 33 are folded in against the covers 12 and 13 and thefastener 34 is snapped together to lock the book structure into acompact unit.

I claim:

1. A book structure for writing sheets in loose form, said structurecomprising first and second generally rectangular rigid covers inhorizontally spaced parallel, sliding and overlapping surface relation,said covers each having respective parallel edges, first and secondhorizontally spaced and parallel ring binders each hinged on one side ofthe sides thereof to oppositely disposed parallel edges of said firstand second covers respectively, said hinged edges being spaced fromoverlapping portions of said first and second covers, third and fourthrigid covers in spaced relation to each other, each hinged to arespective other one of the sides of said parallel ring binders, a pairof horizontally spaced parallel sleeves disposed transversely relativeto said first and second ring binders and in clamping engagement withoverlapping edges of said first and second rigid covers to presstogether said overlapping edges in order to prevent said first andsecond covers from separating, and to generate friction forces betweensaid overlapping covers that tend to resist sliding movement, one ofsaid first and second rigid covers having a slot formed therein in orderto establish a track within said one cover, said slot and track beinggenerally transverse to said first and second ring binders and extendingto the adjacent overlapping edge of the other of said first and secondcovers, a selectively slidable stop having a portion that is received insaid track and in frictional engagement therewith and a protruding stopmember extending from said slidable portion through said slot toselectively bear against said adjacent overlapping edge of the other ofsaid first and second covers in order to selectively retain first andsecond covers in a predetermined degree of overlapping relation, and adummy cover having a thickness that is about equal to the thickness ofone of said first and second covers, said dummy cover being mounted onrings of the ring binder which is hinged to the other of said first andsecond covers and being selectively placed against the other of saidfirst and second cover in order to form an essentially flat surface ofalmost two covers in breadth.

2. A book structure according to claim 1 further comprising at least oneclip secured to one of said sleeves to bear against at least one of saidfirst and second covers.

1. A book structure for writing sheets in loose form, said structurecomprising first and second generally rectangular rigid covers inhorizontally spaced parallel, sliding and overlapping surface relation,said covers each having respective parallel edges, first and secondhorizontally spaced and parallel ring binders each hinged on one side ofthe sides thereof to oppositely disposed parallel edges of said firstand second covers respectively, said hinged edges being spaced fromoverlapping portions of said first and second covers, third and fourthrigid covers in spaced relation to each other, each hinged to arespective other one of the sides of said parallel ring binders, a pairof horizontally spaced parallel sleeves disposed transversely relativeto said first and second ring binders and in clamping engagement withoverlapping edges of said first and second rigid covers to presstogether said overlapping edges in order to prevent said first andsecond covers from separating, and to generate friction forces betweensaid overlapping covers that tend to resist sliding movement, one ofsaid first and second rigid covers having a slot formed therein in orderto establish a track within said one cover, said slot and track beinggeneRally transverse to said first and second ring binders and extendingto the adjacent overlapping edge of the other of said first and secondcovers, a selectively slidable stop having a portion that is received insaid track and in frictional engagement therewith and a protruding stopmember extending from said slidable portion through said slot toselectively bear against said adjacent overlapping edge of the other ofsaid first and second covers in order to selectively retain first andsecond covers in a predetermined degree of overlapping relation, and adummy cover having a thickness that is about equal to the thickness ofone of said first and second covers, said dummy cover being mounted onrings of the ring binder which is hinged to the other of said first andsecond covers and being selectively placed against the other of saidfirst and second cover in order to form an essentially flat surface ofalmost two covers in breadth.
 2. A book structure according to claim 1further comprising at least one clip secured to one of said sleeves tobear against at least one of said first and second covers.